The Lying Ball
by AmazingArekusa
Summary: Ollie was deceived by a lying ball.


House: Slytherin

Category: Themed

Prompt: Magic 8 Ball

Word Count: 2706

Ollie Springs was just bounding with joy as he was on the train heading for Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. He still couldn't believe that he had been eligible to attend such a prestigious school such as Hogwarts. Even after 2 years of being a student, the thought hadn't been fully processed. He was a muggle-born, meaning that he was born to two non-magical parents. When he got his letter, he thought it was certainly just a joke. However, he learned, after about ten owls, that it wasn't.

Now, he was going back to school as a 3rd year student. He couldn't wait to go back to his Hufflepuff friends and to see the Common Room again. Ah, the Common Room. It was one of his favorite places in the world. The bright, fluorescent colors of yellow lighting everything in the room. The polished, honey-colored wood tables, the cacti, the ivies, and the ferns decorating the shelves. The welcoming round doors that led to the girls' and boys' dormitories. The alluring, mouth-watering smell of the kitchen regularly wafting in. In Ollie's opinion, it seemed to be one of the happiest places on Earth.

However, the one thing, or person, that Ollie really wanted to see again was Abby Flowers. Abby Flowers was one of Slytherin's nicest girls, which is actually a pretty rare find. Ollie had had crush on her since he first laid his eyes on her during the Sorting Hat Ceremony. Her fearless determination radiated through her, making her entrancing to Ollie. Even though everyone in the Hufflepuff house disapproved of every Slytherin, Ollie didn't care. He knew how good of a person Abby was. He knew how she wasn't the same of just about every other Slytherin. She was different, and she was kind. She was ambitious and did anything she could do to get what she wants, but she was also kind-hearted, caring, and thoughtful. That alone showed Ollie that she stood apart from the rest of her house.

All he wanted to see at Hogwarts, was her smiling, laughing face. He wanted to see her eyes light up when she talked in class. He wanted to feel the determination firing in her heart. He just wanted to be there with her, feeling everything she felt, every step of the way. All he's ever wanted was to be there for her, even as a friend. Whenever she actually talks to him, even if it's just a greeting, his heart soars. It feels as though it just takes off without him. But to him, it was one of the best feelings in the world.

Ollie had been smiling to himself, looking like a complete dork. He had been thinking about everything he loved about Hogwarts, which also included Abby. However, he was unexpectedly snapped out of his thoughts, when he heard that silky, cool voice he oh so loves.

"Hey, Ollie," Abby said, a group of giggling girls crowded behind her.

"Hey, Abby. H-how's it going?" Ollie managed to say. He had hoped this would be over quick because he couldn't hold himself up for so long, especially in front of Abby.

"Good, good. My friends and I couldn't find an open car on this train, until we found this one. Would you mind if we sit with you?"

Ollie's heart stopped pounding. He could already feel the blood rushing to his face, making it turn a hot pink. "Y-yeah, sure," Ollie said. He hoped he wouldn't make a fool of himself.

The car had been getting awkwardly silent, until Abby broke the silence.

"How does it feel to be a Hufflepuff?" she asked, sounding curious.

The question took Ollie by surprise. He raised his eyebrow to her.

"Are you serious?" he asked, trying to make sure he heard correctly.

"Of course, I am. Why wouldn't I be?" she responded. "What? You think that by being a Slytherin, I shouldn't be asking this question?" Her face said everything. Ollie realized he had made a mistake. _Stupid, stupid_ , Ollie scolded himself.

"No, no! I just… I mean…" Ollie tried to save the conversation. Abby giggled.

"Chill, dude. I'm just messing with you. Anyway, how about that answer?"

Ollie felt relief wash over him, his shoulders relaxing.

"Well…. It feels great. I mean, in my opinion, I've never felt better. When I joined Hufflepuff, my whole world brightened up. Every color was so vibrant and I always felt happy. I felt whole and alive. It really felt like the happiest time in my life, and it still does. I'd never felt that way before I discovered Hogwarts. I love being a Hufflepuff. It means that even I get the opportunity to make everyone's day better. It's like a job almost, when you're in Hufflepuff. Except, we don't see it that way, most of the time," Ollie answered.

Abby had been staring at Ollie the whole time. Her eyes piercing right through his with a fierce, unwavering gaze, but then they softened.

"I've never heard anyone describe it like you," she said, her voice quiet, speaking to no one in particular. "That was amazing," she complimented him.

"Th-thanks, I guess. Sorry, I just kept rambling on and on. You could have stopped me at any time you wanted, you know." He scratched the back of his head, feeling his cheeks heat up again. "I just get excited when I talk about things I love."

"No, no, no. It's great. It's amazing. It's…. Fascinating. I love hearing people like that. You just see their faces light up, and it just shows what they're passionate about. You can really tell a lot about a person, with something as simple as that."

Ollie smiled at her, falling in love with her all over again. That was what drew him in; that was what shone through her. Her fascination and interest in everything was so alluring. Everything about her just drew him in. He loved that feeling.

The rest of the train ride was spent talking and chattering about their lives and what they loved. It took up the 4 whole hours that were still left in the trip.

XXX

As soon as they arrived, the group's face fell.

"Back so soon?" Abby asked, her tone sounded disappointed at the sight of the castle. "I wish this could have lasted longer, Ollie."

"Oi, Abby," a Slytherin guy said. He stood outside of the car doors, looking annoyed at the sight of the people in it. "You're supposed to stick with us. Come on, we're here. Get your stuff." His tone sounded firm, but there was a certain softness to it. Ollie assumed because he was speaking to Abby.

"Oh, right, sorry. The other cars were full, so we had to sit here," Abby explained.

"I don't need a story, Abby. I just need you to get your stuff and to come with me." The unknown Slytherin waited until Abby gathered herself together.

Abby hurried to gather her bags and belongings. She turned to Ollie with an apologetic look. "Sorry, Ollie. Duty calls. I'll see you later, okay?" she said. Abby turned to the other Slytherin and walked down the train, his arm draped across her shoulders.

Ollie sighed. He assumed that maybe that guy was a special someone to Abby. _Stupid Ollie_ , he thought. _A girl like her would obviously have a boyfriend._

XXX

The next couple of school days had been uneventful. Whenever, Ollie passed by Abby in the halls, she didn't even take the time to glance at him. It was like they were totally different people. Ollie's hopes had fallen, but he should have known better.

However, one morning, he had received a peculiar item in a mail package. When he opened it, he discovered that it was a magic 8 ball. He recognized it because he had often seen it at muggle stores. "Hmmm… now why would someone send me this? I doubt it's even magic, but let's just give it a try," Ollie said, deciding to at least give the little ball a chance.

That afternoon, Ollie had gone up to his dorm. He wanted to experiment with the magic 8 ball. "Now, let's give you a try, shall we?" He began. Taking a deep breath, he started with the simple questions.

"Will I get good scores on my O.W.L.S?"

' _Not Likely',_ the ball had shown.

"At least you're being honest," Ollie shrugged.

"Does Professor Snape like me?" Ollie asked, curiosity sparked the interest.

' _No'_ , the ball showed.

"Oh, well. What can you do? I mean, he doesn't like many people anyway, so I'm not offended." He took a deep breath. "Now for the real questions."

"Does Abby like me?"

' _Yes'_ , the ball showed. Ollie gasped. He didn't know if he should believe the tiny item or if it was just a hoax.

"Do I… do I have a chance with her?" Ollie shakily asked.

' _Yes',_ the blue triangle in the ball said.

"If I asked her out, would she say yes?" Ollie said excitedly, his hopes raised again.

' _Yes'._

"Okay. If I asked her out, would she, for sure, say yes?" Ollie asked, deciding to finally get straight to the point.

' _Yes'._

"Yes! Okay, tomorrow I'm going to ask her out. I'm finally going to do it. Ahhh, I'm so nervous," he said, tucking into bed, happy with the responses he was given.

The following day, Ollie had gathered up the courage to ask 3-year long crush out. He decided he was going to get her to meet up with him after dinner. He thought it would be the perfect time, since the school day will have ended by then, and their stomachs would be full. It would obviously be the happiest part of the day, therefore the perfect time to ask someone out.

Ollie was heading towards the Great Hall, hoping to catch Abby before she went inside to have dinner. He didn't want to have to cross the whole room and face a bunch of suspicious, scowling Slytherins. Unfortunately, he got to the hall late, so he had missed his chance. Ollie swallowed his fear and fast-walked to the Slytherin table. He stood in front of it, which rewarded him with students giving him glares. He tried to be quicker, his eyes rushing to scan the faces in the table. When he caught Abby's eyes, he motioned towards the door with his hand. Abby slowly got up from her spot, almost hesitating to go up to him.

"Ollie… hey. Um, what are you doing here?" Abby asked, clearly sounding uncomfortable.

"I need to talk to you after dinner. Please. Meet me outside the hall near the entrance." Without hearing her response, Ollie walked away to his table.

Ollie waited outside of the hall. He paced around, waiting for Abby to appear. For a second, he thought that she wouldn't come. However, the magic 8 ball's words stayed with him, giving him hope. After a few minutes, Abby was exiting the Great Hall, surrounded by a group of Slytherin girls. He heard their giggles and whispers.

' _You're so nice!'_

' _You are so nice for actually meeting up with that boy!'_

' _If I was a boy, I would so fall in love with you.'_

' _How were you not sorted into Hufflepuff?'_

' _How are you even a Slytherin when you're that nice?'_

Ollie's heart started pounding. Abby brushed off the overwhelming crowd, finally heading towards Ollie.

"Sorry I made you wait. I just couldn't make those girls leave," she said.

"Oh no, it's-", he started.

"God, how annoying can they get? I mean, there's literally a line between being annoying and being unbearable. And I think it's safe to say that they are over that line, wouldn't you agree?"

Ollie's eyes widened. He thought he heard wrong when he heard those words come out of her mouth. "Wh-what?" he asked in dismay.

"The girls, obviously. Were you not paying attention?" she asked, sounding irritated.

"Excuse me, did I hear you correctly?" Ollie asked. His fear had disappeared. It had been replaced with pure anger.

"Of course, you did. Why are you asking so many questions? Are you deaf or something?"

Ollie's eyes narrowed. He felt like he had been cruelly deceived. "No, I'm not deaf. I'm just so blown away at your foul attitude."

Abby laughed, as if what he said were the most hilarious thing ever. "Oh my god. Wow. You didn't actually think I was being serious, did you?" She saw his unwavering expression and grinned. "Hold on. Let me get one thing straight. Did you actually think that I liked you?"

"Well, I-I," he stuttered. Abby giggled.

"Jesus, you are so stupid. Did you actually believe the act I had on?"

"Act?" Ollie answered silently.

"Yes, act. I'm not actually the nicest person ever. God, no. That's so boring. Obviously, I was acting. This whole 'innocent, saint-like' persona I have on, isn't me. I only do that because it's a way to get everyone to like me."

"What?" Ollie murmured.

"Yeah. I don't like anyone here. Everyone's either so reckless, stupid, unbearable, nice, and they think that they're so amazing. I act nice and angel-like because everyone likes me. It's how I get my way. Bravo, you're the first to find out my little 'secret'. However, it is fairly obvious. But I wouldn't expect any of the boneheads here to actually catch on."

Ollie was speechless. He couldn't believe he was hearing. Abby was a liar and a cheater. Everything that he had loved about her was a lie.

"Oh, sorry. Here I am, rambling on about me. What were you going to ask me?" Abby said, sounding so innocently fake.

"Oh… nothing. I wouldn't want to ask you now that I know you're a monster," he spat.

"Wait, hold on. I think I know where you were going," she grinned. "You were going to ask me out, weren't you?"

"Y-yeah," he said reluctantly.

"Oh, dear. How do I put this lightly?" she said, tapping her finger against her chin. "Oh, I got it."

She looked at him and smiled. Her expression changed to annoyance as soon as she spoke. "I hate you. I would never date you. You were foolish to ever think that someone like me, would go out with a person like you. You are possibly the person that I absolutely cannot bear on this Earth. And that's saying a lot, considering that I do not like a lot of people." Ollie's eyes had started to water. He had lived for the past three years fantasizing about a liar. He had been stupid to think that someone that perfect could actually be real. The real world doesn't have anyone like that. They're all just liars.

Ollie had begun to back up, shaking his head. "Aww, did I make you cry?" Abby mocked him. "I'm so sorry, Ollie. Not really, though. You really should have seen this coming. It was your own fault for believing in such lies. Anyway, I have to go. My 'friends' are waiting and I don't want to keep them at it for so long. That would just be plain mean."

She smiled innocently at him, and walked in the opposite direction. Ollie was left to cry alone. His tears flooded down his face, reminding him of what a stupid, foolish, gullible person he really was. He watched Abby's silhouette fade, anger and disgust boiling in him.

As soon as Ollie got back to his dorm, he took the magic 8 ball and looked at it with a fierce glare. _You stupid ball. You're nothing but trash. There's nothing magic about you,_ Ollie thought. He decided right then and there that he was going to throw it out. He set out to the lake, not even caring about getting caught and the consequences.

When he arrived, he didn't even hesitate to throw the ball as hard as he could into the water. He stared at the ripple the ball made, thinking about all the lies he believed and how he was deceived. He decided to never again believe in such things. He wouldn't be caught dead with something as stupid as the magic 8 ball.


End file.
